This is probably going to sound dumb but I am going to ask any way …
What is an M4 carbine as compared to other AR platforms?
What are the differences between the M4 and the M4A1?
I hope someone will take the time to enlighten me.
Thanks,
ntxyankee
Good question, other than full auto vs. 3 round burst I don’t know.
Some early M4s had A2 uppers, later versions were A4 uppers.
Selector settings, SAFE-SEMI-BURST
All M4A1 have A4 uppers.
Selector settings, SAFE-SEMI-AUTO
I may be way off on this but did’nt the A1 have the heavier profile bbl?
I may be thinking of the SOCOM.
They mounted 203s and Maglights with automotive hose clamps and early Surefires back then too.
SOCOM profile didn’t come around until the mid-90s (IIRC) after units doing ‘break contact’ type stuff started bursting quite a few barrels.
Some USMC Force Recon Marines:
The original M4 had the A2 upper and the 3-round burst, giving a terrible single shot trigger pull.
The conventional Army transitioned to the flat-top upper not too long after fielding began around 1994.
SOCOM’s M4A1 has the safe-semi-auto selector of the M16A1, giving a cleaner, better semiautomatic trigger pull. SOCOM has begun transitioning to heavy barrels. As of early this year the conventional Army will start modifying their M4s with the heavier SOCOM barrel as well.
so is the burst setting dying off? seems like kind of a good idea in theory.
Not to stray away from the original intent of the thread, but…
What the fuck is an M4A2, M4A3?
I keep hearing about them. I’d really like some info if anybody has some.
M16-A1 = carry handle selector SAFE-SEMI-AUTO
M16A2 = carry handle selector SAFE-SEMI-BURST
M16A3 = carry handle selector SAFE-SEMI-AUTO
M16A4 = flat top selector SAFE-SEMI-BURST
In the semi auto civilian world most gun companies call an A3 a flat top.
so really the A4 is the flat top, at least in M4’s.
isn’t the M16A3 a flat top though?
No the M16A3 looks just like an A2 but has auto instead of 3 round burst.
I believe these were first made for the US Navy Seabees.
Iirc, a3 is just a single mfg’s coined name for a carbine. Isn’t an a3 the same as an a4 in the civi world? Also… all m4s are ARs, but not all ARs are m4s.
Yes it’s very confusing depending on who’s calling what/what on the civilian market. Some are calling A3s flat tops without M4 ramps and A4s flat tops with M4 ramps, some are calling all flat tops A3s with or w/o ramps etc.
i’ve never heard of either of those… you’re probably seeing them in relation to bushmaster or other manfers who have their own methods.
I was issued a A2 in basic, then A1 when I got to my unit, then A2 replaced it.
The A1 has the full option with carry handle
The A2 has the burst option with carry handle
never saw an A3
A4 is the same as the A2 but with a flat top.
The other big change between the A1 and A2 is the rear sight. The A2 changed to the modern rear sight adjustment system. The A1 has the same as a DD back up rear. I dont remember the exact different, but it believe it changed the rear sight to a 1/4" adjustment for the 1/2" the A1 offered. The A2 rear sight also added the more user friendly adjustment knob.
Matt
both you guys are talking about rifles… the question is carbines.
Ok correct me if I am wrong but I am pretty sure the original M16 came out then shortly after we saw the M-16A1 which had the forward assist added and it was still full auto. Then the M-16A2 came out and the only change was that it had burst instead of full auto. The M-16A3 I though was a flat top with plastic hand guards. Then the M-16A4 came out and had a flat top and railed hand guards.
Good Ole rock n roll. Can someone explain what the diff is with the heavier barrel that Socom is using?
All of our M-16’s are full auto. The young Marines in Fallujah seemed to think this was cool, although I don’t think full auto in an M-16 is worth anything. The 3 round burst is totally worthless IMHO. Too many parts along with multiple trigger pull weights.
I know what you mean, The only time I ever used burst on the 16 was in training.